CELEBRATE WITH US
75+ YEARS OF
INNOVATION
From Hickory Springs Manufacturing to HSM
1940's
1944
Hickory Springs is founded by Parks Underdown in partnership with Anne Lewis. The company begins production in a small brick building in downtown Hickory, North Carolina. The first products manufactured were all items for the bedding and furniture industry and consisted of cooled seating springs, edge wire, and Marshall coil springs.
1950's
1951
Hickory Springs formed its first wholly-owned subsidiary, Chattanooga Spring Company, which manufactured springs and metal bed rails at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.
1957
Hickory Springs begins producing sinuous wire, followed by latex and polyurethane foam.
1959
Hickory Springs establishes Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company of Arkansas and starts purchasing urethane foam buns and then fabricating them for resale to furniture manufacturers in the southwest. A second major diversification of the product line was enlarged as a foam pouring operation began in the Brookford Road plant in Hickory.
1960's
1961
Hickory Springs starts pouring flexible polyurethane foam in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. In the 10 years that follow, the company expands its foam footprint with additional pouring and fabrication facilities.
1962
The company purchases Mitchell Standard Corporation of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, which makes drop-in constructions, sofa bed seats and backs, sofa bed hinges, edge wires, helicals, upholstery coils, baby crib springs, well buckets, water bottle tilters, trundle beds, open coil bed springs and rolla-way beds.
02
EXPANSION
1970's
1971
Hickory Springs sets up a separate innerspring mattress plant, in mountainous Micaville, NC.
1974
Hickory Springs moves into metal tubing and stamping operations with the introduction of convertible sleeper mechanisms for the home furnishings industry.
1978
Hickory Springs opens HS Wire Drawing in Conover, NC. This vertical integration supported the Company’s spring plants.
1960's
1961
1980's
1981
Hickory Springs purchases the Spiller Spring Company with plants in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois, expanding its mattress and box springs capabilities and footprint in the bedding industry.
1982
Hickory Springs purchases the former Sears building in downtown Hickory to house the new Corporate and Financial Offices to serve as its hub of operations.
1983
Hickory Springs enters into its first joint venture. Plastic Technology, Inc. specializes in plastic extrusions used as edge roll and welt cord in upholstered furniture and later adds a range of other products including pipe insulation and pool toys.
1986
Hickory Springs expands further into stamping operations with the introduction of an incliner mechanism for the furniture industry.
1989
Hickory Springs adds to its innerspring collection with the purchase of the Holland Wire Company in Holland, Michigan and forms a new bedding division with Holland Wire, Spiller Springs and Micaville wire plants.
1990's
1990
Hickory Springs purchases Highland Fabrications in High Point, NC which fabricates foam and makes covered sleeper mattresses.
1996
Hickory Springs begins a multi-year run of successful innovation, including the design of a folding metal step for recreational vehicles. Neil Undertown assumes the role of chairman of the board and Don Coleman becomes president and chief operating officer.
2000's
2000
A new tube mill operation starts production in Ft. Smith. Hickory
Springs commissions its first bedding quilt foam operation.
2005
Hickory Springs introduces Preserve®, the world’s first bio-based foam. Its recipe utilizes up to 20 percent of a non-traditional, renewable, bio-based raw material derived from soybean oil.
2007
Hickory Springs acquires Triad-Fabco, a manufacturer of molded rebond foam cushioning material for the furniture, school bus, and golf cart industries.
2008
Hickory Springs acquires JSI Corporation, a supplier of OEM and aftermarket products to the RV industry.
2009
Hickory Springs acquires Hi-Tech Foam Products, a manufacturer of foam components for the appliance, automotive, medical and military industries..
2010's
2012
Hickory Springs acquires The C.E. White Company, a manufacturer
of quality seating products for the commercial/transit and school
bus markets. This acquisition enables the Company to provide transportation manufacturers with a complete seating solution.
2013
Hickory Springs announces a new name and brand – HSM – intended to assist the company's efforts to grow its Transportation Solutions and Diversified Solutions business units.
2014
HSM celebrates its 70th anniversary with the
opening of a new Corporate Foam Technology facility and introduces Transitional™ Sleep System adjustable beds, an example of the Company’s commitment to innovation by delivering integrated solutions to the marketplace.
2016
HSM sells five foam-pouring locations in NC, GA, CA, MS and AR to Arsenal Capital Partners. The equity company uses the former HSM facilities as the foundation for the larger foam/bedding producer Elite Comfort Solutions. HSM purchases Atlanta Attachment, a manufacturer of automated machinery designed for the bedding, furniture and apparel markets.
2017
HSM launches a new organizational model that establishes five operating divisions: Hickory Springs (metal and wire products for furniture and bedding), HSM Foam Fabrication (custom cushions for furniture), HSM Transportation and Specialty Manufacturing Company (seating for school and other buses), Atlanta Attachment Company (automated machinery) and HSM Diversified Solutions (extrusions and healthcare products.)
2018
HSM Diversified launches Parks Healthcare and the Kalmia Adjustable Lift Bed.
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